Grasping At Kaponos

I wasn't pleased when Doug pulled Jrue to finish the 2nd quarter. I know he was trying to protect him from picking up that 3rd foul, but this team has trouble finishing out quarters. When Jrue came out at the end of the 2nd, that NO run to put them up 3, put them in a tough spot to start the 2nd half.

Impressed they battled back, didn't really look like anyone had their legs tonight. Can't be that upset, this was just an awful spot.

I really hope this Meeks in the starting lineup project ends soon. If I watch him "finish" at the rim one more time, I'm going to pass out. ET gives them a better overall floor game, even if the scoring isn't where it needs to be right now.

postgame interview with dei lynam, collins said he planned to play speights some tonight even before hawes got hurt - speights had two good practices. also mentioned that turner will have to re-work his shot over the summer, it is flawed.

Jackins should be getting any minutes that DC was planning on giving to Kapono from here on out, I don't think there is too much of a difference between the two besides Age, mine as well give Brackins a chance. Also I think I'd rather see Brackins get minutes than Jodie. I kind of forgot about how bad Jodie was because of Kapono.

I payed close attention to Spieghts, he seemed to be moving, screening and passing some on offense and didn't kill them defensively so hopefully he goes up to 15 to 20 mpg. . If Meeks isn't hitting or creating points with spacing the floor than Turner should be out there. I find it odd that Collins said postgame messing with Turners' shot can't be done till over the summer yet this past summer was an oppurtunity to do it; I guess that is all part of his "keep up the kid's confidence" thing.

One thing I forgot to mention in the recap that I really should have: The Sixers were just atrocious offensively and they had every reason in the world to fold when they were down by 13 in the fourth quarter, but they didn't. This team continues to show great heart.

What did we fans do to deserve this? Please say it ain't so.... Management selected a 22 year old supposedly NBA ready kid to be our "shooting guard" of the future. Now the coach can't remind the public enough that the kid is not a "good shooter" and candidly drops the deflating kicker that they're going to "re-work" his shot over the summer? Getdafukouttahere

You mean to tell me that when they worked this guy out they couldn't get any sense that he couldn't shoot a lick then? Or that his shot was flawed when they ran him through shooting drills? Doug had to have seen this being a rather respectable shooter himself but was overruled by the Peanuts gang apparently.

I just can't believe that there are suggestions to change a guy's shot at the not-so-ripe age of 22. That is no easy task - at all. You're asking someone to change the way they've been doing something since maybe childhood. All those repetitions through the years and the muscle memory that has taken place as a result of it and now just tear it down? And on this level? For a guy they felt worthy of a #2 pick? Wow, just friggin' wow.

Only the Sixers, the kings of the square peg into the round hole theory. First we had Iguodala attempting to masquerade as a "shooting guard" - failure. Next was Louis Williams being a "point guard" (remember that bill of goods you sold us last year Stefanski?) - failure. Now we have, not the #22 pick, or the #30 pick, or the #12 pick, but the NUMBER TWO PICK and he can't shoot worth a damn so we're going to dismantle his mechanics and form and "re-work" his whole shot and teach him anew, so he then can become our long-sought-after "shooting guard"? Square peg meet round hole.

I think more of reworking Turner's shot should be akin to the way Derrick Rose did it. Really just some minor tweaking to the point of as Derek said to be a 3 point shooter which Rose is a threat now and wasn't when he came into the league.

And I should point that Doug wasn't going out of his way to critique Evan. He was simply responding to a question from Dei about Evan in his characteristic straight-forward style. He's seems to be a straight-shooter - he just tells it like it is. I think his candor is refreshing.

And it is obvious that Evan's shot is a little weird, the way he holds his left hand over the ball.

And reworking someone's shot mechanics in the NBA is not unheard of. Evan has work to do, but I don't think its the huge problem you're making it out to be.

Not that I'm a big Turner optimist, but range and jump-shooting seem to me to be one of the few things that players do improve on after reaching the NBA, and after 22. (Things that rarely get a whole lot better in the transition from college to the league would include rebounding, scoring in general, obviously athleticism... not so sure where passing and defense fit on this spectrum.) There are really too many examples to count, but most famously, Jordan was a very poor shooter when he entered the league. Michael Redd was a worse shooter in college than Turner was, and quickly became a very good one. I'm more concerned about whether Turner is athletic enough to get by anyone in the NBA than his jump shot.

Brian, one correction: Kapono got one more wide open look, a 3-pointer from the top of the key extended, but he missed it. His made 3 turned the Sixers into the boxer who scores a knockdown in the first round and abandons boxing for the rest of the fight, looking for the knockout.

A few other quick thoughts:
* I know there was an emphasis on Turner being more aggressive, but he also needs to know when he isn't hitting his shot and stop shooting jumpers.
* It was again disturbing that Turner couldn't finish off an offensive rebound from directly under the basket. He's got to try to dunk that if he can.
* I really don't understand why Speights didn't get any time in the 4th quarter. I thought Speights looked better than anyone else on offense, and he probably kept them from getting blown out in the 3rd.
* The team as a whole isn't a good passing team without Iguodala. That's what they miss most from him in the halfcourt.

just finished watching the game and somebody must explain me how Speights can get only 24 min in a game like this, when he's producing at both ends, while Turner gets 31. Doug, should have gone big for more min, using Thad at SF.

For once that MS was playing well, he sits in the 4th, in a game where nobody can make a shot, while guys on the perimeter set new arena records in bricks... bad mgm by Collins to me.

btw just read on nba.com play-by-play page that Okafor gets credited with a block on the putback that to me Turner simply airballed (!!) after getting a (nice) off reb. That was ugly...

I have been impressed with his handle these last couple of games, and he recognized when to post a smaller player, and can do it quite well. His shot needs work, but he can hit it. We always knew he wasn't the quickest/most athletic. And I have to say, at least he's playing with confidence...I don't mind him shooting 2-for-whatever, as long as he is being aggressive. Kid will be fine.

I got pretty pissed with Collins too. I agree with you, I understand his thinking on putting Kapono in when we're down double digits. But after the game is by 3, why leavi him in? Specially when he is hoisting long 2's with a hand in his face, and hasn't played in 14 games!!! And to make matters worse, he even gives the ball to Kapono on the most important play of the game. I thought we could've pulled this one out with how we're playing defense, and with Holiday/Brand playing the two-man game.

Cousins with another 24 and 7, on 11-22 shooting. He was 6-17 (like Jrue the other day!) but hit his last 5 shots. 16 points in the fourth quarter. That's almost Turner's career high.

In other rookie news, Ed Davis is averaging a 6 and 6 with 0.9 blocks in 20 minutes. His numbers are practically identical to Favors's, except Favors is shooting a somewhat higher percentage (.584 TS% to Davis's .507 TS%), rebounding a little less, blocking half as many shots, and picking up 3.4 fouls per game to Davis's 2.3. You could argue Davis has been better.

I haven't watched him play a full game in a while. Every time I catch him on NBA TV he seems to be playing like a Euro big minus the ball handling. Looks like he's in love with his mid range jumper. What a waste of size